Cold Blooded Love
by Capehtayne-Neenja-Rayne
Summary: When an iron-willed princess and a mysterious nobleman share a night of forbidden passion, it provides the perfect one night escape that both of them need. But what happens if that one night isn't enough for either of them? - SasuSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**S**akura bowed respectfully before her dying king. He had summoned her urgently to his private room which had only ever meant that he had a personal request to ask of her. A request for the sake of his kingdom.

She was being summoned for a mission.

He was seated behind his desk when she entered the room. He looked at her with the usual disciplined expression but she noticed that there was an edge of hardness in his gaze. His hair that had been a glorious shade of the darkest brown had completely faded into a washed out shade of gray. His skin tone, normally tan from his earlier years of war, was now pale from illness and had wrinkled in areas where countless battle scars decorated his face and body. However, although there were dark circles under his green eyes that made him appear deathly fatigued, they still shone with the brilliance of power, authority, and so much love.

Sakura smiled at him fondly, "Yes, Father?"

Her father smiled back at her but it didn't quite reach his eyes, "That smile of yours has the potential to rule this kingdom on its own."

She chuckled, "You flatter me, Father, but I prefer to use my ruthless behavior to rule your kingdom."

"Not mine. Yours."

Sakura's smile vanished. There was always a subtle sadness in her father's voice when he mentioned her inheritance of the kingdom. She had always ignored it because she knew that his sadness was not from the fact that it was finally his time to give up his precious kingdom. She ignored it because she didn't want to acknowledge the reality that his time was almost at an end.

Her father was going to die. And everyone expected her to be her father.

"Father.. I wish I was a man.."

This time, he smiled at the absurdity of her words, "I've never once wished that for you. I bless the very day that you were born and every day after that. I taught you everything that I know and more, and you have exceeded at making me a proud father. Sakura, you are my daughter, my pride and joy. You will handle this kingdom better than any man. My only regret is not being able to see you married off to some good for nothing fellow and not being able to see my beautiful, trouble making grandchildren cause havoc around this very househould the same way you did."

His words etched themselves painfully into her very soul. Her heart swelled with happiness but was overpowered by an ache that tore up her insides every time she breathed. She wanted to cry but she didn't want her father to remember her tears. She wanted her strength to relieve all of his worries.

After a short pause, the look in his eyes intensified and he adopted a more serious expression. His voice had lost all prior emotion, "But before that, I have one last request for you."

Ah, it was time to get down to business.

"Your request, Father?"

"You must kill the heir of the Kingdom of Rain. Resources have informed me that for years the late king has been planning to invade our kingdom the moment of my death, which will place our people into a vulnerable state, making it the perfect chance to launch an attack. Fortunately, their king is too weak o even shift around in his own death bed but I'm quite certain that his heir shares the same ambition with his uncle."

"His uncle?"

"Yes. Their king could not produce any sons and he refused to allow one of his daughters to follow in his footsteps. He was left with an orphaned newphew whom he fostered when his sister died. I've been told, however, that this mysterious prince has been kept hidden away in the king's palace all his life so no one knows what he looks like. Because of this, you won't be able to locate him anywhere. You'll have to infiltrate their palace, find him, and kill him."

Sakura nodded but her father seemed to detect the slightest uneasiness in her, "I know that this mission may seem impossible not knowing what the target looks like nor how to find him in a palace you do not know your way around, but I know you will not fail me. Sometimes I think that you might even be better than me."

"I can never be as great as you, Father."

"Sakura, you underestimate yourself. But if this rumored prince turns out to be imaginary, and you do not find him, the invasion will be inevitable."

"How can I lead anyone when they're deep to the neck in grief?"

His smile returned, "You must smile for them, and they will all fall to your knees in worship and do your bidding."

"How can I even smile when-"

"My blood runs rampage in your veins. With my blood, my strength becomes yours. With strength as great as ours comes an even greater responsibility. When my time comes, you must not shed a tear for the sake of your people. Your weakness will become theirs. I've trained you myself purposely to show them that my daughter - a woman - has the potential to protect this kingdom as I've done and they've undoubtedly put all of their faith in you, as I have."

"Father, you have always known the right things to say."

"Above all else, I am your father. You will be a fine Lady War Lord, and an even better Lady King."

Lady War Lord.. she liked the sound of that.

"But.. this prince will probably be my biggest challenge."

"Wait till you have children. Ah, but I know one thing about him."

"What is it?"

"His name is Sasuke Uchiha."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**T**he night's event had looked somewhat promising. Sasuke wasn't one to attend these social things but he figured that if he was officially going to inherit his uncle's kingdom tomorrow then he might as well enjoy his last night of hidden indentity before being crowned in front of everyone. And what better then to spend this last night of being a nobody among the very people who will finally acknowledge him the second he is announced king.

Ruler of the Kingdom of Rain.

He had only been Prince for a little over a year. If only his asshole of an uncle hadn't suddenly kidnapped him, or summoned him as he would call it, Sasuke would probably be on some thrilling adventure as a free and independent nobody. Or he'd be in bed with a woman, or two.. or three.

Sasuke had moved into the palace when has was six years old. His father, a general in the Royal Army, had died an honorable death at war when he was only two and his mother, sister to the king, raised her little boy as best as she could before she passed away from an illness that had been slowly eating her inside out for the next four years. With no one else to turn to, Sasuke was forced to live under his uncle's roof.. And it had been hell on earth.

His uncle never gave two fucks about Sasuke, or even of his five daughters for that matter. The King of Rain was just too obsessed on expanding his boundaries, and producing a male heir, to care about anything else. His wife, on the other hand, paid a little too much attention to him. Due to her husband's constant neglect, except for when he used her body in high hopes of producing a son, she had become mentally unstable and took it out on her nephew whenever she had the chance. It started out with abuse but once he reached the age of thirteen when he started to mature physically, she resorted to forcing herself on him, using him as a replacement for her husband. He eventually left the palace when he turned sixteen, and it had become his first breath as a free man.

And now here he was, nine years later, bound to the throne by chains. With his aunt dead and his uncle suffering from some incurable illness, and five cousins whom he grew up with to love as his own sisters, he really had no choice but to carry the biggest burden of inheriting the kingdom or face civil blood shed.

Sasuke dismissed his inner torment and lifted his glass of champagne in the air before downing every last drop of it, "To my short lived freedom."

He looked around at all the well-tailored gentlemen and the finely dressed women and recognized no one, though that had been one of his first assignments as Prince. However, no one bothered to acknowledge him either, apart from a few ladies that had been eyeing him indiscreetly from across the room. But, no matter. He didn't even know who the host of the party was or what was being celebrated. In fact, he wasn't even invited. He saw the invitation sitting on his uncle's desk and seized the opportunity.

Now that he was there, he realized how out of place he was in_ this_ world. He wasn't the type to stand around and casually conversate about politics or share the latest gossip. He also didn't have the proper manners or grace of a nobleman of royal blood.

There was no excitement, no spontaneity, no-

What an intriguing hair color..

A woman with an astounding shade of light pink hair stood out amongst the crowd near the dance floor. Her back was facing him but he could tell from the loose curls that were elegantly arranged in a flattering bun on her head that her hair was unfasionably long. Her floor length creme colored dress also revealed an enticingly shaped body. It hugged her curves in all the right places. If only she turned around so that he could get a complete and thorough look at his mysterious woman with pink hair.

Sasuke left his hiding spot as he saw her companions leave. She was alone now and he was determined to see what kind of face matched hair like hers. He strode across the room toward her as if he had every right to, stopping to tap her on the shoulder and get her full, undivided attention.

Oh, she was beautiful, indeed.

Her hair framed her face in a way that complimented her heart shaped structure, the longer spirals feathering her collarbone. Her skin was like porcelain against the silk of her dress. A diamond wreath wrapped around her slender neck, also complimenting the modest neckline that accentuated the plumpness of her chest. The silk continued sleekly down her body, revealing curves that men would worship even at a distance.

Yes, this woman was beyond stunning. But Sasuke was captivated entirely on a whole new level by those green eyes of hers that seemed to shine as bright as a full moon in a starlit sky.

Pink hair and unforgettable green eyes.

Sasuke smiled at her with the full intensity of his charm, "I was hoping that you would grant me the ultimate pleasure of dancing with me."

Her eyes twinkled with amusement, "Straight to the point, are we? No flattering compliments or the dire need to impress me with your masculinity?"

"I figured that you've already heard and seen it all."

There was a slight pause as she realized that he was no regular gentleman. She sensed the challenge in him and instead of removing herself from his presense like any 'respectable' lady would, she returned the smile and held out on delicate hand to him, "Let's see how good that boyish charm of yours is on the dance floor."


End file.
